Apple Hit With Class Action Over MacBook Pro Display Glitches

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On Tuesday, a class action lawsuit was filed against Apple Inc. in California federal court alleging that the computer company failed to fix system failures and graphical issues in its 2011 MacBook Pro model computers.

Lead plaintiffs Zachary Book, Donald Cowart and John Manners alleged in the MacBook class action lawsuit that Apple’s popular 15-inch and 17-inch 2011 MacBook Pro models contain defective AMD GPU systems that do not function correctly because of lead-free soldering that causes short circuits and other issues. Although the lead-free solder may be environmentally-friendly, it also risks cracking and fraying at high temperatures and eventually sprouting “tin hairs” that, according to the Apple class action lawsuit, could lead to deteriorating graphics and short circuit the system.

The plaintiffs also allege that 2011 MacBook Pro models manifest the problem caused by the defective soldering through bands visible on the screen, blurry screens, particularly when users are performing highly visually intensive tasks like using their computers to watch high-resolution videos or using multimedia programs like the Adobe Creative Suite, Final Cut Pro and similar software, as well as causing the system to short circuit. “The 2011 MacBook Pros commanded a premium,” the Apple class action lawsuit alleges, “in large part because of the additional graphics-processing power they offered.”

According to the MacBook class action lawsuit, the 2011 MacBook Pro “was described by many as a dud and defective from inception. Just days after these laptops went on sale, consumers worldwide began reporting to Apple that the 2011 MacBook Pros suffered from random bouts of graphical distortion, system instability and system failures.”

“Apple’s customers paid a premium for their products and were promised, and came to expect, the highest levels of performance, graphical richness, and durability,” the MacBook Pro class action lawsuit alleges.

“Apple, however, has failed to remedy the inherent graphics defect in the 2011 MacBook Pros, causing tens of thousands of frustrated and disappointed customers to air their grievances online on websites like Facebook, Reddit, change.org, and Apple’s own discussion forums,” according to the MacBook class action lawsuit. “Indeed, a survey posted online by Plaintiffs’ counsel received nearly three thousand responses from 2011 MacBook Pro owners in less than a week.”

The MacBook Pro class action lawsuit alleges that Apple should have reimbursed customers who were forced to pay for out-of-warranty repairs which between $350 to $600 to fix the GPU issues, but did not. The MacBook class action lawsuit also accuses Apple of neglecting to address consumer complaints about the problems, even those that attempted to reach out directly to CEO Tim Cook. In fact, more than 23,000 unhappy customers reportedly signed a petition to have their MacBooks repaired or replaced, and put the actions together on Facebook and Twitter to share descriptions and screenshots of the defect.

“The graphical issues and system failures with the 2011 MacBook Pro Laptops were nearly identical to problems that plagued the 2008 MacBook Pro laptops, which were eventually recalled,” contend the plaintiffs in their Apple MacBook class action lawsuit. “Yet rather than issuing a recall for the 2011 MacBook Pro Laptops,” the plaintiffs continue, “Apple hurriedly release a software patch intended to address graphical stability in the 2011 MacBook Pros. The software patch was ineffective because, as Apple knew from its experience with the 2008 MacBook Pro Laptops, the defect at issue is physical and cannot be fixed with a software patch.”

Book, Cowart and Manners are represented by Whitfield Bryson & Mason LLP.

The 2011 MacBook Pro Defective Display Class Action Lawsuit is Book v. Apple Inc., Case No. 5:14-cv-04746-NC, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.